Childhood Obesity: A Nationwide Crisis Essay

1772 words - 7 pages

Imagine being an obese child in grade school who just wants to be like the rest of his friends and live his life to the fullest. While all of the other kids are regularly playing outside and participating in sports, an obese child feels left out and starts an unhealthy lifestyle that can only lead to unhappiness. As time in American culture has progressed, there has been a definite growth in the percentage of children who are considered to be obese. This problem seems to have been growing steadily since the 1960's but has become especially prevalent in today's society. As we are told in the Los Angeles Times, the number of obese children has in fact doubles in the last 25 years (Nation). It now seems as though you can't walk in the city for more than a couple minutes without seeing a child that is obese or who has some evident weight problems. This problem that is far too common among today's children cannot be ignored or taken lightly. This commonly occurring obesity can cause a wide range of serious complications, and increase the risk of premature illness and death later in life, raising public-health concerns. There are many factors that appear to cause or at least contribute to this epidemic that our society is currently experiencing. These mainly include genetic factors, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy diets. This problem is continuously growing but it's never going to stop or at least slow down unless it is taken seriously. The unacceptable amount of obesity in American children can be solved through family and school intervention. With better parenting, new school diets, and physical programs, today's children can have a better chance at becoming healthier.If the problem of childhood obesity is acknowledged and corrected, it is first very crucial to consider the reasons for its existence. This will provide a logical way to go about correcting the problem. Many children suffer from obesity because of a combination of factors. A poor diet is a major factor, which is mainly caused by the poor food that is available in today's schools and restaurants. Many of the foods that are served today are full of preservatives and are more fattening than they have ever been. For example, pay attention to an average school's cafeteria menu. A good portion of the main courses are fried foods that are fattening and just generally unhealthy to consume. Chicken patties, which is really just processed, fish sticks, and corn dogs are just a few examples of everyday meals that are entirely too common in the average school cafeteria. Unfortunately, the same goes for today's restaurants, which often include many unhealthy options on the menu. Fast food is just about the unhealthiest thing that you can put in your body, yet many kids include it in their everyday diets. All of the food that kids are exposed to in their everyday lives leaves them with very few choices when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet.The only way that this can be corrected is...

3395 words - 14 pages
government particularly within the Appalachian area, and the paper will reveal that the effects of childhood obesity can be negative even through later life in search of educational and professional pursuits.
It is almost impossible to lay the blame on one factor that is wholly linked to obesity. A great deal of responsibility it seems, rests with advertising in view of that advertisements have been around for a long time having an effect on children

917 words - 4 pages
Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Paper
Childhood obesity has risen dramatically within the past few decades increasing ones awareness of the consequences that this disease entails. An average of 30% of children are suffering from obesity and overweight each year and yet, this condition remains to be under diagnosed and untreated (Moran, 1999). It is said that overweight children have a greater risk of developing medical problems and that

713 words - 3 pages
Childhood Obesity
Childhood Obesity is a rising problem in the United States. More and more children are becoming obese and it is an unhealthy factor in their lives. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) states that, “Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese” (CDCA). Childhood obesity is so prominent today due to poor stress responses in children, lack of physical activity and

1367 words - 5 pages
problems of obesity must be explored and abolished. Obviously, overeating and a lacking of physical activity both contribute immensely to obesity. The one most unaware to the public eye is the overwhelming availability of cheap food and how that affects social classes. Childhood obesity, an issue slowly swallowing the United States, becomes more pronounced every day due to overeating, little to no exercise, and product availability and easy access.
To

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It is essential that through government and community participation, we develop, establish and integrate safe strategies to tackle the ever increasing problem of childhood obesity.'Australia is rapidly turning into a nation of fat kids.'One in every five youngsters is now designated as overweight or obese, living a life prone to cardiovascular and health problems along with risks to there mental state and general well being. Studies conducted by

576 words - 2 pages
Thinning Down School FoodMany cafeteria workers across the United States do not believe children standing in their own lunch lines don't suffer from obesity. "Obesity? Not in my school." A study that was recently done in Pennsylvania shows that many cafeteria personnel don't think school meals are a factor of obesity in children.Claudia Probart, a TK at Penn State University, says that those personnel tested believed there was a childhood

2243 words - 9 pages
Obesity has increased drastically in today’s society. Alarmingly, present day generations show childhood obesity to be a growing crisis. Viewed as an epidemic, childhood obesity is sweeping across the United States and creating a public health crisis (Henry). Obesity in young children is contributed by different factors. Many are based off of lifestyles and peer pressure in schools and in households. “According to the Centers for Disease Control

1299 words - 6 pages
on a single reason. However, even though there are many factors that can lead to obesity, the answer to the problem most times is a healthy diet and exercise. Dr. Hayman, associate dean of research at the University of Massachusetts, when asked what would be needed for approach and help reduce the crisis said “Given the trends in childhood obesity, we need concerted efforts focused on both prevention and management of overweight and obesity. We

1711 words - 7 pages
pressure and joint problems, and psychological problems such as autism, anxiety and even depression. Childhood obesity is threatening children’s life. Unfortunately, few people are fully informed about the harm of childhood obesity and even children’s parents are not familiar with it. Thus, finding effective solutions to childhood obesity is urgent. Children are our hope for the future, and their health condition is a prediction of the nationwide

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2687 words - 11 pages
and a lack of education; the federal government must intervene through regulation of school meals and snacks to protect children from the abundance of unhealthy options while also educating them and reducing childhood obesity.
In 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which works with Food & Nutrition Services to develop guidelines for the NSLP, proposed new regulations for school lunches in the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act